In the early years of the 20th century, the Swiss photographer and philhellene Frédéric Boissonnas (1858-1946) traveled extensively to Greece, capturing dozens of stunning images of Greek village and island life.
Boissonnas was the most prolific travel photographer at the time, and his love affair with Greece and her people is evident from the care and attention to his images of everyday Greek life — captured on film in detail for the first time.
See the collection below.
59 of Boissonnas’ stunning photographs of Greece between 1903-1920
Filiates, 1913.
Filiates, 1913.
Priest in a destroyed church in Kastri, Preveza, 1913.
At the Rigas family house in Paramythia, 1913.
Paramythia, 1913.
Meatmarkets of Paramythia, 1913.
Parga, 1913.
The bridge of Arta, 1913.
Ioannina, 1913.
Athinas Street, Athens 1920.
Konitsa, 1913.
Konitsa, 1913.
Village of Bagia, Zagori, 1913.
Metsovo, 1913.
Metsovo, 1913.
Village of Kavalari, Zagori, 1913.
Village of Delvinaki, near Ioannina, 1913.
Men in the street with their dog. Preveza, 1913.
A guard in Macedonia, 1911.
Macedonia, 1911.
View of the Acropolis from Thiseio (undated photograph).
Klissoura, near Kastoria, 1911.
Edessa, 1908.
Island of Ios, 1918.
A windmill in the village of Maroneia, 1903.
Women of Amorgos, 1903.
Sheep herders on top of Mt. Parnassos. 1903.
At the village of Kokkinopoulo, Elassona, 1913.
Inside a mountain refuge on Mt. Olympus, 1914.
Climbing Mt. Olympus, 1914.
A celebration in Gastouri, Kerkyra, 1903.
Sheep under the Acropolis, 1903.
In the village of Gastouri, Kerkyra, 1903.
Women of Kerkyra in the countryside, 1903.
Monk, Mt. Athos 1929.
Interior of a monastery, Mt. Athos 1929.
Mt. Athos, Monastery of Vatopedi, 1929.
Mt. Athos, Monastery of Megisti Lavra, 1929.
Lagadia, Arkadia, 1903.
Akrata, 1903.
A priest and his family in Zemeno, 1913.
A family in Zemeno, Corinth, 1903.
Parthenon, 1908.
The photographer and his companion, Daniel Baud-Bovy, celebrate with locals in Zemeno, Corinth, 1903.
Zemeno, Corinth area. A priest and his family, 1903.
Meteora 1908. The photographer being hoisted up to a monastery.
Meteora, 1908.
Crete 1919, porch of a house.
Gathering olives in Preveli, Crete 1911.
Interior of a house in Lakki, Crete 1911.
The Mandaka brothers in the village of Lakki, Crete, 1911.
Interior of a Cretan house, 1911.
Athens, Plaka, 1920.
Omalos, Crete 1911.
Men in the street, Andritsena, 1903.
Andritsena house, 1903.
Andritsena market, 1903.
Kifissia, 1920.
Ermou Street, Athens 1920.
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6 comments
I have two large photographs signed by this photographer, one of which also has the notation
” Geneve” . These photos have always been a mystery to me. They were given to my mother in the 1960’s by a lady who was very old at that time. She was a Scottish woman who had worked with the Red Cross in Serbia and Macedonia. She told us she had been a godmother to a baby born in a prison in Athens. She was quite a character, a woman who never married but devoted her life to others. I am so thrilled to see this article because finally I know what the photos are! One is obviously Santorini as it shows a volcanic cliff and I believe the other is the old port of Naxos. May I ask where the collection you show is housed? Thanks s much for this
Fantastic history in pictures to show the life in Greece from over a centuray ago. This is what the work=ld of my mother and father would have looked like.
Excellent pics, bravo. If I subscribe can I post pics on my FB account?
Do you know who has the copyright to the photo of Fred hanging in the basket being hoisted up to the monastery? I would like to use this photo in a textbook.
A treasure beyond price. I had never seen a picture of Filiates in the decade my mother was born. Thank you so very much.
gorgeous! as a young greek, i love seeing these pictures. i use them to draw the landscapes and traditional outfits of earlier greece. thank you, these are beautiful. 🙂